The tense relationship between the substantial rate of growth in traffic volume and the demand for more effective climate protection and better conservation of resources is the driving force for the global transformation of energy and transport systems.

After more than 100 years of the development of the internal combustion engine, electromobility is now marking a technological change in the transport sector. A greater use of electric drives in road transport provides an opportunity to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels in a sustained manner while at the same time minimising the environmental impact of exhaust emissions.

This not only involves the further development of vehicle technology and components, but also the requirements and implications of electromobility for the transport and energy system as a whole. The transport demand and user requirements share the focus with traffic and mobility management, infrastructure integration and the supply of electrical power, the analysis of related economic and ecological systems as well as strategies for successful market implementation and business models.

Electromobility will not just be researched within DLR. Rather, the aim is to use DLR's expertise and systemic understanding jointly with its partners in research and industry to foster electromobility.

Objectives

The primary goal is to fundamentally increase the acceptance and use of electromobility. To achieve this, DLR has defined a set of specific objectives to address the vehicle-related and systemic questions associated with electromobility.

Vehicles and components

DLR is developing novel vehicle concepts targeted at electromobility, which will increase the range of the vehicles while making them as efficient and environment-friendly as possible. DLR is also devising an integrated approach to energy and thermal management.

Transport system

As part of its transport-related investigations, and with its intentions directed towards the goal of electromobility, DLR is identifying user behaviour and analysing user acceptance. At the same time, DLR is also assessing the impact of electric vehicles on transport demand and development. On this basis, DLR researchers are devising an urban, intermodal mobility and traffic management concept.

Overall systems analysis

The environmental impact of electromobility is quantified for systems analysis purposes. In addition, DLR is analysing and describing the integration of electromobility in the transport and energy system, and is developing migration strategies to ensure a successful market implementation.